Love, Metaphor and Vision in Early Modern India

This is a class about what love imagery made possible for South Asia’s multiethnic, religiously diverse society during Mughal imperial rule (1556-1858). The pervasive theme of love in Mughal fine arts suspended cultural differences in poetics, intellectual play, and mysticism to result in a distinctive aesthetics that emphasized emotional affect. We follow the theme of love as it circulated through the closely interrelated mediums of painting, textiles, poetry and music. Gender and sexuality are be front and center of our discussions, along with self-fashioning and the bonds fostered through connoisseurship. Class discussions and assignments encourage students to ask new questions and to explore untried methods, especially with a view to globalizing the discipline.